ThinkForward is a breakthrough coaching programme that ensures young people who are disengaged from or underperforming at school receive the support they need to transition into sustained employment. Young people are identified for the programme at age 13 based on risk factors known to increase their chances of future unemployment. They are then given one-to-one support from a Progression Coach who builds a trusted and long-term relationship over five years, helping them to overcome challenges in and out of school and linking them to ready for work activities provided by a community of businesses. By the end of the programme young people develop the aspirations, skills and mind-sets needed to thrive and sustain employment.

MoveForward is our programme specifically tailored to work with young people with complex needs in special schools.

We are recruiting a Progression Coach to work on our employability programme, DFN MoveForward.

Application Deadline - 9am on 13th August
Interviews being held – weeks commencing 20th & 27th August
Please do not send CVs as we only consider applicants that submit fully completed application forms.

To support around 45 14-19-year-olds with moderate cognitive and/or communication learning difficulties across the region, to gain the skills and experiences necessary to transition to paid employment, and ensuring the quality and impact of the pilot programme is delivered

Key responsibilities

With young people – to build and maintain relationships with young people and ensure that the ThinkForward programme has impact

Work with school staff to ensure participants are engaged in the MoveForward programme

Assess the needs of the young people, using outcome data to design tailored action plans

Provide one-to-one coaching for young people as well as group coaching sessions, both around building work readiness

Support young people to engage with opportunities provided by third parties including employers and partner charities

Ensure that young people meet the required outcomes and make a sustained transition to further education, employment or vocational training, continually driving their work readiness

Adhere to all relevant policies (safeguarding, health and safety, etc) when delivering activities with young people

Collaborate with the school to safeguard young people

Document and evidence all work and use data to provide the most effective support with young people

With special schools/colleges – accountable for day-to-day relationship management of partnerships

​Liaise with senior staff in three to four special schools/colleges to establish and manage the relationship between the school and MoveForward

Represent MoveForward at the senior leadership team and governor meetings

Train and support school staff in a variety of activities and methodologies to support young people with LDs into employment

Build an extensive knowledge of the support available to the cohort of young people

Establish a coordinated platform which enables the schools and colleges in the pilot to share learning, contacts and volunteering/placement/work exposure opportunities for young people

Work with data managers for regular access to required data

Produce and communicate termly reports to demonstrate impact

Review quality and impact on a termly basis

With business partners

Broker new business partnerships for the schools you support, building on existing business partnerships already existing at the school/college

Support with the training and supervision of business volunteers in mentoring, work exposure and work placements for young people with LDs

Plan and lead session content and communicate with the business in advance of sessions

Conduct review with the business during and after the activities

With parents of young people

Together with the school/college, actively engage with parents, carers, guardians etc of the young people, in the journey the young person is taking into employment and help them to build their aspirations and support for their child, regarding employment.

With colleagues - share knowledge and experience with colleagues to improve effectiveness of the programme

Help to establish the curricula, tools and methodologies for the pilot

Perform a termly review and plan of the MoveForward programme Ensure that the pilot programme specification is met i.e. group work, action planning, ready for work activities Activities are planned according to need and in line with budget Ensure that all interventions are logged on database Work in adherence to organisational policies Actively participate in QA process linked to quality and standards

Person specification

ThinkForward’s staff competency framework informs our recruitment and performance management of staff. The following behaviours for each competency define the expectations for this position:

Communication

Ability to communicate with staff at all levels from a variety of different stakeholders

Approachable, open and transparent with young people, stakeholders and colleagues

Ability to deliver messages in an interesting and stimulating style, appropriate to each audience

Planning and organising

Self-motivated, able to work independently and proactively

Very strong organisational and project management skills, including use of appropriate tools and systems

Excellent computer literacy

Teamwork

Working in a team ideally in a fast pace environment, working collaboratively to achieve goals

Building lasting relationships with different stakeholders for example schools, colleges, other charities, alternative education providers and employers

Impact and quality focused

Comfortable working to targeted outcomes/goals for young people within the boundaries of a programme

While working to targeted outcomes, ability to keep young people at the heart of what you do

Knowledge of how to support young people with learning disabilities to become more job ready

Driven by excellent standards and high quality

Use of data to inform delivery and improve provision

Professional expertise

Three years direct experience of working with vulnerable young people, ideally in school and with learning disabilites

An understanding of the complex barriers that young people with learning disabilites face and the services available for them

Ability to support young people in both a one-to-one setting and by running group work

Knowledge of careers and employment IAG and the importance of tailored progression planning for vulnerable young people

A professional qualification related to work with young people, or relevant experience

Values
ThinkForward staff operate to the following values:

Trusted – ThinkForward trusts its staff, offering an environment where people can work autonomously and offers opportunities for development that stretch skills and experience

Preventative – ThinkForward’s approach is preventative, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of its staff and young people

Collaborative – ThinkForward employees collaborate to achieve the objectives in our business plan

Impact-focused – ThinkForward is impact-focused, constantly reviewing and improving its approach to make sure we provide the best services for young people and working environment for its staff

ThinkForward is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment.

ThinkForward is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Please do not send CVs. Only applications that are received via the completed application form, attached to this ad, will be considered. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer feedback to unsuccessful applicants.